THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Distribution. Coasts of . New Soutli Wales ; Victoria ; Tasmania ; South Australia ; West 
Australia. 
Adult male. Upper-surface glossy bluish-grey, the feathers with black shafts and grey 
margins ; flippers darker than the upper-surface, and the lower edge margined with 
white for about two rows of feathers ; tail-feathers white with black shafts towards 
the base ; sides of face and sides of breast ashy ; chin and entire under-surface, 
including the flippers, white ; the feathers of the fore-neck have dusky bases with 
blackish shaft-streaks ; a line of feathers with dusky bases crosses the vent from the 
thighs on either side ; iris silvery white ; feet white. Total length, 398 mm. ; 
exposed portion of eulmen, 38 ; depth of bill, 12 ; flippers. 111 ; tail, 28 ; tarsus, 24 ; 
middle toes and claw, 48. 
Adult female. Similar to the adult male. 
Immature {about three-quarters grown). Head, entire back, sides of the body and a band 
across the fore-neck sooty-brown, somewhat darker on the head and flippers, and 
paler on the fore-neck ; the throat ashy -grey, and the remainder of the under-surface 
dull white. 
Nestling. Sooty-brown on the back and throat, becoming paler on the abdomen ; top of 
the head and sides of the face black. 
Nest. “ A little dry grass or weeds, placed in cavaties between rocks, a hollow scraped out 
underneath tussock grass or other vegetation, or sometimes a deserted Petrel’s 
burrow, usually on isolated islands ” (Campbell). 
Eggs. Clutch, two ; dull white, surface smooth ; axis, 55 — 57.5 ; diameter, 42.5 — 43. 
Breeding season. September to January (Gould). 
Mr. D. Le Souef* gives an account of these birds on Albatross Island : “ Just 
before dark they approach their landing-places in flocks of some thirty birds. 
They waited about one hundred yards out from the land for some time before 
coming in, and occasionally two flocks were to be seen not far from one another ; 
the members of each flock keeping very close together. After a time one lot 
would rapidly approach the land, swimming both on and under the surface, 
and coming in just behind the break of the swell. . . They all endeavoured to 
get a foothold on the rocks before the drawback carried them away, and there 
was a great deal of squealing and splashing about in the water in their haste 
to accomplish it. . . 
“ After landing they assembled just along high-water mark, and remained 
there for some time preening their feathers. When about half an hour had 
elapsed after the first contingent landed, and the members had been augmented 
by fresh arrivals to over 100 birds, one would start along their well-worn track, 
and the others would all follow, but they soon branched off along different 
paths that led to their various nests. Many ascended steep inclines to reach 
the top of the island, and it was astonishing to see them climbing up at an angle 
of 60 degrees and more, occasionally aiding themselves with their wings and 
beak, sometimes walking, sometimes hopping from rock to rock. 
“ On reaching their mates on the nest they commenced their peculiar 
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